What is Your Why?

After having kids and struggling with losing the baby weight, I remember getting hit with this one phrase from a lot of people around me, "just don't put it in your mouth, it's just not worth it." Well, I really wasn't eating that much or that bad but obviously I wasn't doing something right..and even when I did exercise..nothing seemed to help budge my weight at all. I could have done it like I did between my 1st and 2nd pregnancy and that was pop pills and pretty much starve myself as much as I could in order to watch the numbers on the scale budge but realizing that probably wasn't the smartest thing..I refrained.

I knew doing it the right way would be through "sweat and tears" and that saying definitely has new meaning to me these days. As your body changes and your life changes, you not only go through a physical transformation but a mental and emotional transformation too. The ones who have been through it knows it really is a huge lifestyle change! It's finding out what works for you and having people support you on the way. But where does the motivation come from. It comes from your WHY?

What makes you tick? What gives you the motivation to keep going? Is it a person, an object? What gets you up and moving in the morning? You have to find that reason that will keep you going. Once I discovered my Why, everything made sense to me and it gave reason to what I was doing. God, my kids and my husband are my WHY? It made me really think twice about decisions I made and how I treated my body. It wasn't fair to them to starve myself and damage my body, it wasn't WORTH eating like crap because it did nothing for me. I learned how to fuel my body to keep it going, not bog it down and trash it with bad food and decisions.

It's like the Why I had when I quit smoking. I remember going to visit my grandmother after she was diagnosed with emphasemia and seeing her struggle to breath because her long life history of smoking and what it had done to her internal organs. For 40+ years that she smoked, she never saw what it was doing to her internally until it was too late. That really hit home for me because at 29 years old, the damage you do now might not make a difference in how you look but when your 50 or 60 years old, those effects take a hit on you and nothing that can be reversed. What you do now is so important for the longevity of your life. You just have to change your mindset and realize that you are only given one body for your entire life so taking care of it now is sooooo incredibly important. I want to take care of myself now so that way when I am my grandparents age, I can watch my great grandkids grow up and not be stuck at home on an oxygen tank or shriveled up b/c of bad decisisons I made when it really mattered the most.

So, stop and think what your Why is and what would get you to start buckling down and getting serious about making some changes in your life. It's time to get serious and stop making excuses! Sometimes it's all about shifting priorities and putting forth the resources to make it happen!!!

The 411 on Superfoods and Nutrition

What to Eat: The 411 on Superfoods and Nutrition

So what is a whole food anyway? What is it that compels Darin Olien to venture to the lab and test familiar and exotic fruits and plants to put in Shakeology^®?


Eating for life requires more of us than simply eating. We must be committed to educating ourselves on the latest research, but we must also be willing to listen to our inner voice. That voice itself will direct you to certain foods over others. For example, it doesn't take an herbalist or student of nutrition to know that an apple is better for you than a soft drink, because of how it makes your body feel.
When we think logically and rationally about what food is supposed to do for our bodies, it becomes obvious that eating whole foods is essential. Common questions we hear are: What exactly is a whole food? Can I buy them at my local market? Can I afford them on a budget? And if whole foods are just that, whole and complete, does that mean other foods are incomplete?

A whole food is a food in its complete form that hasn't been processed or isolated into fractions. Beachbody^® followed the whole food philosophy when we made Shakeology, in that the majority of minerals and vitamins are derived from whole foods. We believe that each plant and fruit made in nature is made perfectly; there is a perfect balance of minerals and nutrients to support absorption rates and create beneficial chemical reactions inside the human body. When you eat nutritious superfoods whole, you get the "symphony" of all the vitamins and minerals working together as nature intended (instead of taking them in isolated forms such as individual vitamin supplements).
Eating whole foods is a foolproof way to fuel your body correctly, and these foods are everywhere, including your local grocery store and your farmers' market. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and anything that fits into the definition listed above can be considered to be a whole food. In order to choose optimally amongst these items, it's important to remember to always buy organic to avoid unsafe pesticides, and always try to buy foods in season. We urge you to check the labels too! Don't just assume things are good for you, because many nuts, seeds, and dried fruits often have unwanted additives or sugars that thwart the pure nutrition of the product.


The question of affordability is unfortunately a common concern in the whole food industry—some people think twice about paying high prices for organic produce. There is an easy answer for those who are unsure whether the higher prices are worth it: They're absolutely worth it! Here's why: The nutrients received from whole foods will improve your body's overall functioning, and in contrast, processed foods with added sugars and other chemicals offer nothing to your body except harm and a fake feeling of satiety.

The non-whole foods that may be part of your diet are considered "bulk foods." Bulk foods are designed to trick the body into thinking it's full, when in reality it's starving for nutrients and possibly storing unnecessary bulk as extra body fat. Since the feeling of fullness after eating bulk foods is mostly a facade, you will most likely end up consuming more in quantity, thus paying more overall than you might if you were eating more whole foods.

After reviewing the definition of a whole food, perhaps you will eat more consciously today, and eating consciously today could lead to eating consciously tomorrow because of how good you feel! Good choices lead to more good choices because your body is grateful for the nutrients you provide it with. So the next time you are food shopping and asking yourself what you should buy, take a moment to access your inner voice. Simply look at, touch, and smell the foods around you, and pay attention to what your body's asking for!

Throughout the past few years I have learned a lot about myself and my passion of fitness and nutrition...through my journey I have learned just how important it is to be healthy and teach my kids the same thing so they can adopt good habits. Given the opportunity to be a Beachbody Coach and helping others for free gives me such satisfaction that I get to help others acheive their goals as well. I am not here to sell anyone anything...I am here to help you adopt a healthy lifestyle that will change your life for the better. Beachbody just provides me the tools to help you succeed. It's not only about what you look like on the outside but how you are treating your insides as well..we are only given one life, better learn to take care of what's going on from the inside first and then worry about how you want to look on the outside...when are you gonna decide to make the change and live a healthier life? It's not hard, you just have to want it bad enough to do it...I am here to help you..why not ask me how I can help you...my time costs you nothing..

 

The reason why I wake up everyday and make healthy choices - my boys!!!

 

 

How Do I Really Know If Shakeology® Is Worth the Money When Everything Else Costs Less?

There are many protein shakes and meal replacements that are less expensive than Shakeology. But comparisons based on the simple "protein shake" or even "health shake" are usually off the mark and don't stack up to Shakeology.

Shakeology was designed for people who want more than protein, and for people who want the health benefits being represented by the ingredients on the label. To really know whether a product measures up to Shakeology, you need to keep some things in mind:

How much is enough?

We are proud of Shakeology's 70+ ingredients. Other shakes will trumpet the number of ingredients they have too. But are the ingredients they are counting actually good for you? Are there any artificial flavors or colors listed in those ingredients? Not in Shakeology!

Are they derived from whole-food sources? They are in Shakeology! Too often the "magic ingredient" has been isolated from the enzymes and phytonutrients that actually make the ingredient useful when consumed.

And does the competition formulate for the synergistic benefits between the ingredients, or just slap together whatever is hot in the media? Shakeology was specially formulated for the collection of ingredients to work together like a symphony; this combination is so effective, some people report dramatic benefits within the first week. Other supplements point to one or two individual ingredients and build a "story" around their superfood attributes.

Protein

Pay attention to a product's protein source or blend. Protein sources like whey protein hydrolysate have been shown to trigger a much higher insulin response in the body. That's not an outcome we would tolerate in Shakeology.

Our protein source is whey protein isolate, which is more than 90 percent pure protein. Plus, Shakeology is loaded with digestive enzymes and lactase—that's the enzyme that breaks down lactose and is found in over-the-counter products like Lactaid^®. Don't confuse whey protein concentrate with isolate. Whey protein concentrate is the least pure form of whey protein made. The benefit of isolate versus concentrate is that the fat has been removed to achieve isolate. The fat in whey protein is what carries toxins consumed by the animal. That's the reason Shakeology can be used by so many people who are lactose-intolerant—because those toxins have been removed through the isolate process.

For our vegan formulation, we use sprouted brown rice protein, not soy. Does the competition use ANY soy in their formulation? Soy protein contains estrogen, mimicking compounds that can interfere with your hormones. On top of that, most of the soy in the marketplace is GMO (genetically modified). These are two important reasons why we don't use soy in Shakeology.

Glycemic index tested . . .

In terms of sugar, many protein shakes contain 1 gram of sugar or less. This is because they are using artificial chemical sweeteners. (Check the label for sucralose, aspartame, or sugar alcohols.) Shakeology's small amounts of sugar comes from natural sources and whole superfoods like coconut flower nectar and luo han guo, which are easily processed by the body and, in fact, have been tested and certified by an independent lab to have a low glycemic index of 24—that's lower than most fruits! (An apple is 36, and an orange is 43.)

What's not in the base, they may suggest you add later

Other shakes don't cost as much as Shakeology at first glance, but they also don't contain the full profile of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for some vitamins and minerals, or whole-food sources of antioxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogen herbs, prebiotics, probiotics, or digestive enzymes. We've seen competitors make you buy a separate vitamin pack for $150 per month! Once you add it up, this is hardly a "good deal," and it's usually hardly even a good product.

To achieve the benefits of Shakeology we've seen, competitors charge between $250 and $335 per month! $120 doesn't seem expensive when you realize all of the benefits Shakeology delivers.

SUMMARY:

Formula: 70+ of the healthiest ingredients from whole-food sources from around the world VERSUS protein, fillers, artificial coloring, and isolated glamour ingredients
Winner: Shakeology

Protein Source: Shakeology's pure whey protein isolate or plant-based sprouted brown rice protein VERSUS soy, hydrolyzed whey, and/or whey concentrate blend
Winner: Shakeology

Taste: Rich Chocolate, tangy Greenberry, or fruity Tropical Strawberry Shakeology VERSUS chemically-derived, artificially-flavored competition
Winner: Shakeology

Price: $120 for Shakeology VERSUS—Oops! It's impossible to compare lesser formulations on price. But if you add in all the separate vitamins and flavoring agents the other companies ask you to buy to match the benefits and nutritional content of Shakeology, you would easily spend over $300 every month—that's 2 and half times the cost of Shakeology!
Winner: Shakeology

But the best comparison is results. From weight loss, to reduction in cravings, to regularity, to healthier cholesterol levels, to increased energy levels, to an overall sense of well being . . . We give a bottom-of-the-bag guarantee on Shakeology because we KNOW people will be amazed by how they feel. Shakeology is the winner by a total knock out!

From then to now...

So, this is where it all started and excited to start sharing my story and everyday victories and struggles...

I was at the Beachbody Coach Summit this past weekend and a lot of it is to focus on our WHY? for why we love being involved in helping others find a solution to help guide them to a healthy lifestyle....here is a quick story on why I named my Beachbody business "Fit with Faith." When I was going through my weight loss, no one was there to help me, guide me, encourage me or root me on. Especially not the ones I thought should have been there for me the most like family but all I got from the ones I trusted the most was, "just don't eat as much," "if you really wanted it, you would do something about it," "why don't you just not put it in your mouth", "just workout everyday" and the list goes on and on and on and on!

Well, I prayed and prayed to God daily about giving me the strength...I knew it wasn't up to anyone else to do it for me, it was up to me but with a lifelong struggle of fighting being over weight and being teased about it all through my already struggle..it was gonna take a lot of FAITH. 

From the time I was young, my weight was always an issue for my parents and they used to take me to Weight Watchers meetings when I was in middle school. Nothing more embarassing than having to walk up the stairs to the meeting location that the Weight Watchers was at and see old women there and I was only a young teenager who was already fighting my weight. I was active and played sports just didn't know how to lose weight. I got to the point where I just knew it is just the way it was going to be and especially going through college and having kids, the task to lose weight got even HARDER. I had to do something so I decided to take Action...

I remember going on NIke.com after seeing a promotion for a new engraving technique they had that you could do to personalize the face of their watches and I thought it was sooo awesome I went on to get one but I sat and thought forever what "cool" thing I could have engraved on the face of that watch so everytime I looked at my watch I would see this word that would keep me motivated. Well, that word I had engraved was FAITH. I knew it would take Faith within me to keep going becasue no one else would be there cheering me on. Faith means a belief that is not based on proof..so I was putting my Faith in myself to keep going because before then I would always quit so this was a huge step for me and when I saw that word, it would remind me not to give up!

When I work out, I am such a clock watcher and it is very easy for me to convince myself to stop and I would look at my watch and see how long I had been working out b/c I didnt want the others behind me at the gym judge me b/c I could only run onthe treadmill for 15 min..so I would check to make sure it was an adequate amount of time. But having the word FAITH engraved on the watch..evertime my mind forced me to look at it, I had to have the FAITH and strength to keep going but it wasn't going to happen without my FAITH of TRUSTING that what I was doing was going to pay off in the end...

So....over thinking very hard about where I have come from and the struggles I have endured and overcome throughout my entire life..FIT WITH FAITH...was born.